Monday, 5 June 2017

Monday, 29 May 2017

So here I am again. A lot has happened since I have posted last. I have changed a lot too. Well, I live in Germany now. I work for an amazing Company. I still stitch when I have time AND I am a Thatter.

I shall start with my most recent adventure. We went to Manchester on Thursday to see Take That in concert. As you know some evil being has caused a lot upset last week. He killed 22 inocent People which just went to a concert and were having fun and injured even more.

Our concert dates were changed. But we still decided to travel anyway, to at least to pay our respect to the victims.

We were only to stay two nights anyway. But these were eventful days:

We landed in Manchester around lunch time being a tiny bit worried about how Manchester will be. The Train Station at the Airport was extremely busy but a very nice security lady told us to get on anyway and to pay on the Train. Well, I think nobody actually paid. So we got to Manchester Piccadilly and the coductor did not manage to get to us. We were a bit worried but were allowed to pay as we were leaving the Station. I seriously doubt that this would have been possible in Germany.

When we arrived at the Travelodge we hoped that we could deposit our suitcase at the Hotel. How everything had changed!!! But we weren't suprised, took our suitcase and toddled off to Debenhams to have a looooooong lunch until we could check it. We had a yummy roast dinner with all the trimmings. DD1 had some Chips because she is a veggie.

Well, either we were very hungry or simply cannot eat slow enough: there were still 2 hours to kill before we were allowed into the Hotel. So off we went Shopping into the Arndale centre.

Now everyone who knows me, knows I dislike shopping with a Passion. Buuuut not this time. After living in the Service lacking Germany for nearly two years I really enjoyed the lovely shop keepers making a fuss and even purchased a few Things and a few more. Hehe

At 3 pm were allowed into our Hotel. We had to give our Name and only then we were allowed upstairs to check in. This even made worried little DD2 feel alot safer.

We checked in and had a tiny rest. Then at 5 pm we went to St Ann's Square. I still cannöt talk about that experience without crying. So we'll leave it at this. Just one thing: I am so proud to be sort of a Mancunian. I know now for certain where my heart is.....

Jump ahead a few hours and we were back at our Hotel hoping for a good nights rest despite the heat and phoning OH, DS1 and DS2 which we left at home.

On Friday we travelled to Liverpool because the cancelled Liverpool concert was actually postphoned to Friday and we managed to get three Standing tickets. YEAH!

The journey to Liverpool was quick and smooth. (it will become clear why I mention this) We had a look arount Albert Dock which we found no probs. Hehe.

We picked up the tickets and saw the tour lorries. Even took some Pictures with them on. Then we had something to eat and went into the Tate. Well, Sorry but in the whole Gallery was ONE nice Picture; a Lowry. The rest was utterly rubbish. But we had some fun. We went and looked at an empty wall space and made a right fuss about it, how amazing this is and how the Artist has caught the light etc. We had a chuckle because some People actually went to see this empty wall space.

Really if you want to see an unmade bed, you will not have to get to Liverpool. There will be lots around Europe.

Never mind, Liverpool itself is a beautiful City. Really worth a visit. This wasn't my first visit and will not my last.

There was a lot of security about and Police with heavy guns, They did so well in this heat. I am so grateful to them because they made even my little worried DD2 feel safe.

Now we come to the main even: TAKE THAT. Well, what can I say? We got barrier, met some lovely ladies and some strange ones too. All Saints were just so sweet. I actually didn't know that I knew them but I it happens that I knew a few of their Songs. We were singing a Little louder than normal (sorry about that). When Gary walked past us and did not shake our Hands but went to the opposite site I did not feel sad or even jealous. I was just so happy to see him and so Close. He is smaller than I thought and much more handsome too. But Markie will always be my favourite. He shook our Hands twice! He even came back to DD2 because he nearly missed her out. Isn't that nice? Such a lovely man. Howard was funny. But this is another Story

We will not mention that the lady next to DD2 got a heat stroke and had to be carried away before the Show started. I hope she still managed to see some of the Show.

BTW Mark had really soft hands and I really need at least one bracelet like his.

So, now we had to leave Wonderland and make our way to the Station. All being well we would manage the last Train back to Manchester, the 11.38 pm Train by Northern. Was it on time? Nope! Was it long enough for the approximately 2000 People who tried to get on? Well, it would have been if all four carriages were the Train but it was only the two carriages in the front. Yup. They tried to get all these People in only two carriages. Well, at this time there was a Panic. Not good if you think about what only just happened and NO security in sight. NONE!

By now the Train diver decided it might be a good idea to couple the other two carriages onto the first two and take the other People on board. Good decision one would think. BUT NO! Something went wrong and the Train kept stalling. Everytime this happened the traindriver had to take the Train apart and put it back together. It took at least 20 minutes each time

There were a lot of drunk People on board probably on the way back home fter a night out.

DD2 managed to get a seat next to a sleeping lady. I admit it was a tad strange that the lady fell a sleep so soon after sitting down but hindsight is a beautiful thing. Just after the first Station - or was it before? this lady turned around in her snooze. DD2 got worried. So I told her to Change her seat. Well, this seems to have a mistake: as soon as DD2 was gone from the seat, the lady fell off and bumped her head. So now we had an emergency on board. The Train just stopped at a Station without lights on. So I doubt that was a scheduled stop. Some thatters rushed to help this lady but due to the lack of real first aid Knowledge made the sitution worse. Said lady was now choking on her own spit.The Thatters jumped out of the Train and shouted the conductor to get an ambulance. Meanwhile a real first aider came to help the lady. He got smacked by her for his effort but that was probably just a Reflex. Some kind passenger gave her last water to her. I held it for her. Now she was getting carried out of the Train by some strong men and the thatters which by now were sure that they saved this woman's life.

The ambulance came after 20 minutes. We now reached the time we SHOULD have been back in Manchester.

BTW we didn't have any drinks anymore either because of the strange habit of selling drinks without lids at concerts. What is that all about?

I hope the woman is well again. She looked a bit better when the ambulance arrived. So I hope she was just too hot.

Now we were back on the way to Manchester! Everyone cheered! We should be back in Manchester in another 40 minutes or so. Well, that would not have been bad. We could have lived with this. BUT: the Train stalled yet again and had to be fixed again. It is getting boring now. But we were getting exited. The Train Driver told us he knows now what the Problem is. So he'd be able to fix it quickly.

We were pleased because the heavily pregnant lady who wanted to get off in Warrington, did not look all that great.

Well, we were wrong! The Train stopped two more times before it got to Warrington. Just before we FINALLY got to Warrington. Each time it took ages to fix. Now the train first started racing and then screeched a long awful terrifying squeal

This was our cue to get off. We were having no more of this. We decided we'll take a taxi back to Manchester. This was getting too dangerous. For goodness sake: our flight home was due at lunchtime!

The taxi journey was an adventure too. I got into an argument with the man because he kept asking what postcode our hotel was at and I just wanted to be dropped at Piccadilly Station. To be honest do you know the postcode of your hotel? I'll doubt it. Maybe Warrington is somewhere further than we thought because this taxi Driver did not know where Piccadilly Gardens are (that's where our hotel was). I thought everyone knows where this is. I mean I know where it is and I tend to get lost.

SO, this lovely gent got us back to the hotel. We were allowed to pay 60 Pounds for the pleasure. Now it was 3.30 am YEAH! I mean whay should we complain? It was an adventure which we will not forget any time soon.

So after a good nights rest of an amazing 2.5 hours, we went refreshed to the Airport. This adventure was nearly over. We would be back to boring old Magdeburg. But not yet. Ryanair decided to get in on the fun. And why not.

At first we were an hour late taking off. Well, what's an hour between friends? Approximately 40 minutes with the seatbelt sign on kept the excitment going. Why was the seatbelt sign on for so long? Well, the Pilot seemed to want to give us a rollercoaster ride all inclusive. Nice of him wasn't it? DD2 wasn't all that grateful though. She dared to be scared and was feeeling queasy. Ungrateful, really. So when the Pilot got bored or a bit worried about the furniture we sat back and enjoyed the ride. DD2 did not order any Food. That is not normal for her. But surely now the fun was over. We were nearly home. Landing on this calm day should be a doddle for or Pilot. Well, it was. So he made it even more fun! If it would have been in Manchester the local plane watchers would have had something to post on their Blogs but alas it was in Berlin. So there was only a few hundred People which screamed a tad when the right wing nearly touched the ground and the plane didn't seem to want to slow down. But even the most exciting flight has to end and we were told to get off. There were some shaky legs but everyone was just pleased to be back home or whereever.

I am sad to say that Howard, our suitcase has not survived the flight. But Ryanair has already said is is not their fault and poor Howard being sqashed and his zip being broken is not covered by their policy. Well, who can argue with such a lovely lady like the one at the airport's complaining Office.

The Train journey back to Magdeburg would have been uneventful if we wouldn't have reached the extremely sill stage of tiredness. That elderly lady who fell asleep next to me during the Train journey and the jolting of the Train did not help matters. We just couldn't stop laughing. This freaked the poor woman out and the fact that we were laughing in English. So she decided to wake up, get up and leave.

So what do you think about our two night in England. Eventful aint it?